The Mint 400 is the oldest off-road race in the United States, also known as “The Great American Off-Road Race.” The grueling 400-mile desert race takes place every March in the foothills of Las Vegas, NV, and this year attracted more than 550 race teams competing across more than 80 different race classes.

Pre-race festivities included a desert cleanup and the traditional cruise down the Vegas Strip toward the Mint 400 Off-Road Festival on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. Thousands of spectators turned out for the racer meet-and-greet, autograph signings, and a chance to talk with manufacturers about new products.

Race week culminated on Friday and Saturday with a brutal desert race, with racers looping four times around a course in Primm Valley near the Nevada-California border. Everything from vintage and stock buggy classes to popular UTVs — and everything in between — took part. As in previous years, the main attraction was the Unlimited Truck Class, and this year’s race crowned Kyle Jergenssen as champion.

The Mint 400 was created by Norm Johnson in 1967, originally as a publicity event to promote The Mint Hotel in Las Vegas. The race, owned by the Martelli Brothers since 2011, continues to bring together competitors from across the nation to test their skills and vehicles against rough terrain and some of the biggest names in off-road racing. The Mint was famously featured in Hunter S. Thompson’s novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and later in the cult-classic film of the same name.